This invention relates to a filter element for filtering a freeze-endangered liquid, such as a urea-water solution; to a liquid filter for filtering freeze-endangered liquids comprising a housing with an inlet and an outlet and containing a filter element according to the invention, and to a method for producing such a filter element.
Published U.S. Patent Application No. US 2003/0209484 A1 describes a liquid filter for freeze-endangered liquids. The liquid filter has a housing which is closable by a filter cover. In the housing there is a filter element having a filter medium and end disks. Each end disk is attached to the filter medium by adhesive film. In addition, the end disks are joined together by a filler piece. The filler piece is therefore integrally molded onto a first end disk. On the end face opposite the end disk, the filler piece has a toothed area. The toothed area engages in an area located on the second end disk. Due to the intermeshing areas, torsional forces can be transferred from one end disk to the other end disk. In dismantling the filter element, the force of removal is transferred from the first end disk to the second end disk through the filter medium. This may cause the filter medium to tear, so the lower end disk is not removed from the housing. This requires additional assembly effort to extract the lower end disk from the housing.